Cube Acid One 500 initial review - and a question...
Posted: 16 Aug 2018, 8:03pm
First off, I've taken the plunge and invested in a Cube Acid Hybrid One 500, dull black colour scheme as the lairy green had sold out every where
https://www.cube.eu/en/2018/e-bikes/mou ... lack-2018/
Purchased as an alternative to a car/motorbike for my 60 mile a day (round trip) commute
Negatives first....
Despite what the Cube website would have you believe there are no mountings on the rear stay for a pannier frame, I've had to use a seat clamp with M5 bosses to get panniers on the back
Somebody at Cube must have been in a rush to fit the grips because they don't align (picky I know!)
And final negative is that it's a struggle just to get a 500ml drink bottle in a bottle cage
On the plus side........
Fitted some 700c 38mm Schwalbe Marathon GT tyres which give a good ride, and very quiet
Feels ponderously heavy to wheel in and out of the house (given that my other ride is a steel framed 1*10 cross bike, normally loaded for weekend touring this is an easy comparison) but once riding the weight disappears completely, even when riding at speed it is well balalnced
Managed a whopping 14 miles on it so far, first four were just playing up and down the same hill to see how the different levels of assist 'felt', then a 10 mile round trip real world ride... switched off assist where possible, only used lowest level of assist for hills, and without breaking a sweat it put my average speed for the whole ride up to just under 15mph
From its initial not quite full charge the first four miles 'play' took a worrying chunk off the indicated range available, but after the 10 mile ride it has gone back up? Can only attribute this to Bosch somehow predicting range based on use over last X miles/time/riding style
All this means that providing I plan my luggage (packed lunch and a fresh shirt) to keep loading to a minimum I should comfortably be able to leave the charger at work and let my employer cover that cost
Questions then! Is there any benefit (Bosch battery, motor, controller) to be had by switching assist off when I know gravity or my pedalling alone will take me above the magic 16.5mph? or can I just leave it set on lowest level of assist?
I've read and digested the Bosch website, and gleaned that stop/start riding will reduce range, high levels of assist will do the same, heavy loading, etc, but are there any positive tips to get more out of it? Would I be better to start pedalling away and switch assist on once rolling to ease start up strain on battery/motor?
https://www.cube.eu/en/2018/e-bikes/mou ... lack-2018/
Purchased as an alternative to a car/motorbike for my 60 mile a day (round trip) commute
Negatives first....
Despite what the Cube website would have you believe there are no mountings on the rear stay for a pannier frame, I've had to use a seat clamp with M5 bosses to get panniers on the back
Somebody at Cube must have been in a rush to fit the grips because they don't align (picky I know!)
And final negative is that it's a struggle just to get a 500ml drink bottle in a bottle cage
On the plus side........
Fitted some 700c 38mm Schwalbe Marathon GT tyres which give a good ride, and very quiet
Feels ponderously heavy to wheel in and out of the house (given that my other ride is a steel framed 1*10 cross bike, normally loaded for weekend touring this is an easy comparison) but once riding the weight disappears completely, even when riding at speed it is well balalnced
Managed a whopping 14 miles on it so far, first four were just playing up and down the same hill to see how the different levels of assist 'felt', then a 10 mile round trip real world ride... switched off assist where possible, only used lowest level of assist for hills, and without breaking a sweat it put my average speed for the whole ride up to just under 15mph
From its initial not quite full charge the first four miles 'play' took a worrying chunk off the indicated range available, but after the 10 mile ride it has gone back up? Can only attribute this to Bosch somehow predicting range based on use over last X miles/time/riding style
All this means that providing I plan my luggage (packed lunch and a fresh shirt) to keep loading to a minimum I should comfortably be able to leave the charger at work and let my employer cover that cost
Questions then! Is there any benefit (Bosch battery, motor, controller) to be had by switching assist off when I know gravity or my pedalling alone will take me above the magic 16.5mph? or can I just leave it set on lowest level of assist?
I've read and digested the Bosch website, and gleaned that stop/start riding will reduce range, high levels of assist will do the same, heavy loading, etc, but are there any positive tips to get more out of it? Would I be better to start pedalling away and switch assist on once rolling to ease start up strain on battery/motor?